Cops: Monroe man set TV set on fire

Staff reports

Published 2:08 pm, Thursday, January 10, 2013

MONROE -- A Shelton Road man found himself taken away from his home in handcuffs Wednesday afternoon after firefighters and police converged on his home to discover a backyard blaze with a television set engulfed in fire.

Aristides Medeiros told the first responders from Shelton that his "television blew up," Monroe police said, adding that Medeiros also informed them that he disconnected the television, took it outside, doused it with gasoline and set it on fire. It was unclear whether the television that Medeiros claims exploded was a flat screen, high density or older model. A number of area residents saw the flames and called 911 unsure whether the fire was in Shelton or Monroe.

"It was a large active fire in the rear yard of the house," a Monroe police spokesman said. "And there were multiple 911 calls about it."

Efforts to reach Medeiros were unsuccessful. He did not return a voice-mail message.

Shelton firefighters put out the fire, and police from Shelton had Medeiros in handcuffs when Monroe's officers arrived. According to Monroe police, Medeiros attempted to push and hit a Shelton police officer. Medeiros , 59, was charged with interfering with an officer. While in the patrol car, police said, Medeiros screamed, kicked at the doors and told officers that he would kick out the windows.

Medeiros was released on a $500 bond, and is slated to answer the charge on Jan. 18 at Superior Court in Bridgeport.